0^01,06145+ 


No.  110. 


MILITARY  EXECUTION: 

SIN  FOUND  OUT— THE  MELTING  POWER  OF 
KINDNESS. 


Toward  the  end  of  last  century,  during  the  war  with 
France,  Mr.  Griffin  received  a  letter  from  a  friend  in 
London,  mentioning  that  two  young  men  of  a  highly 
respectable  family,  offended  at  some  restraint  imposed 
on  them  by  their  parents,  had  left  their  father's  house, 
with  the  determination  to  go  to  sea;  that  it  was  likely 
they  would  be  found  at  the  rendezvous  at  Portsmouth, 
and  requesting  him  to1  inquire  about  them,  and,  if 
possible,  persuade  them  to  return.  He  soon  found  they 
were  there,  though  they  assumed  a  false  name.  Having 
prevailed  on  them  to  call  upon  him,  he  expostulated 
with  them  on  their  conduct,  representing  to  them  in 
as  strong  colors  as  he  could  the  distress  they  had 
inflicted  on  their  parents,  and  particularly  that  their 
affectionate  mother  was  in  a  state  of  the  deepest  an- 
guish. He  succeeded  in  persuading  the  younger  to 
return  under  his  paternal  roof.  When  he  seemed  some- 
what softened  by  Mr.  Griffin's  expostulations,  he  said, 
"  Well,  I  think  I  will  go  home  again. "  His  brother, 
with  a  most  determined  air,  looked  on  him  with  a  scowl 
of  indignation  and  contempt,  telling  him  he  was  a  poor 
milksop,  and  adding  that  he  might  do  as  he  pleased, 
but  for  his  part  he  was  determined  to  go  to  sea,  and, 


M  MILITARY    EXECUTION. 

after  the  manner  he   had  been  treated,  he  would   never 
return  to  his  father's  house. 

When  Mr.  Griffin  found  he  could  make  no  impres- 
sion upon  him,  the  last  thing  he  said  to  him  before 
he  left  him,  was:  "Well,  young  man,  remember  one 
thing:  your  sin  will  one  day  find  you  out."  The 
younger  son  returned  to  his  father,  and  the  elder  went 
aboard  a  man-of-war. 

Several  years  passed,  and  Mr.  Griffin  had  almost 
forgotten  the  occurrence,  when,  one  Sabbath  morning, 
a  ship-of-war  came  into  the  roads,  and  a  message  was 
sent  to  him  to  come  and  see  a  young  man  who  was 
sentenced  to  death.  As  soon  as  his  other  engagements 
permitted  him,  he  went  aboard,  and  found  this  bold  and 
resolute  young  man  lying  in  irons,  while  he  was  con- 
demned to  be  executed  during  the  following  week.  On 
Mr.  Griffin's  inquiring  what  was  the  cause  that  had 
brought  him  into  such  distressing  and  disgraceful  cir- 
cumstances, he  was  informed  that  he  had  struck  one 
of  the  officers  :  an  act  of  insubordination  which  could 
not  be  passed  over  without  all  discipline  being  de- 
stroyed. At  his  trial  every  advantage  was  given  him 
to  plead  some  palliation  at  least  of  his  offence,  as  the 
officers  saw  he  was  quite  a  superior  young  man,  and 
one  born  to  better  prospects.  He  was  asked  if  he  was 
drunk.  "No!"  Had  he  not  drunk  anything  that  day 
(as  they  were  anxious  to  mitigate  the  punishment,  if  it 
could  be  done  consistently  with  the  discipline  of  the 
ship)?  He  replied,  "No!"  In  short,  it  was  found  nec- 
essary to  condemn  him  to  death.  Some  of  the  officer 
remarked  to  Mr.  Griffin:  "We  see  he  is  a  superior 
young  man,  of  a  very  high  spirit;  he  would  have  made 
a  capital  officer,  but  one  guilty  of  such  insubordination 
cannot  be  allowed  to  escape." 


MILITARY    EXECUTION.  3 

Mr.  Griffin  conversed  with  the  prisoner.  He  still 
maintained  his  high  bearing,  would  make  no  apology, 
and  seemed  determined  (as  the  phrase  is)  to  die  game. 
Mr.  Griffin  immediately  came  ashore,  and  got  an  appli- 
cation forwarded  without  delay  to  the  Admiralty,  stating 
all  the  circumstances  of  the  case.  In  short,  through  the 
instrumentality  of  the  gentleman  who  was  then  member 
of  Parliament  for  Portsmouth,  he  procured  a  pardon 
just  in  time  to  save  the  young  man's  life. 

All  the  preparations  were  made  for  having  the  sen- 
tence executed  when  the  pardon  was  communicated 
to  him.  "  Here,"  said  Mr.  Griffin,  "  we  saw  the  effect 
of  unexpected  kindness.  That  heart  which  nothing 
could  subdue,  which  even  the  terrors  of  a  violent  and 
ignominious  death  seemed  incapable  of  appalling,  was 
completely  melted  when  a  pardon  was  announced  to 
him  It  was  too  much  for  his  feelings.  He  fell  before 
it,  and  burst  into  tears. " 

When  the  circumstances  of  the  case  were  known, 
having  obtained  his  discharge,  he  returned  to  the  bosom 
of  his  father's  family.  As  he  had  assumed  a  false  name 
while  at  sea  his  history  was  only  known  to  his  own  im- 
mediate connections,  and  to  Mr.  Griffin  himself,  who 
most  properly  concealed  the  name.  Mr.  Griffin  also 
informed  rne  that  he  was  in  the  habit  of  visiting  the 
family  when  he  went  to  London,  and  at  the  time  he 
related  the  story  this  condemned  seaman,  now  trans- 
formed into  a  young  gentleman,  was  engaged  in  busi- 
ness, and  held  a  respectable  station  in  society. 

It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  with  what  very  peculiar 
emotions  this  runaway,  headstrong  youth,  who  had  so 
nearly  escaped  a  public  execution,  must  have  met  so 
kind  a  benefactor  —  one  to  whom  he  was  placed  under 
such  extraordinary  and  incalculable  obligations. 


4  MILITARY    EXECUTION. 

We  have  here  a  specimen  of  the  melting  effects  of 
kindness.  It  accomplished  what  stern  law,  and  the 
mere  dread  of  punishment,  nay,  of  an  ignominious 
death,  never  could.  Such  is  the  effect  which  the  grace 
manifested  in  the  gospel  is  eminently  fitted  to  pro- 
duce. Many  who  have  set  at  nought  all  the  thunders 
of  Mount  Sinai  have  been  effectually  subdued  by  the 
still,  small  voice  from  Mount  Calvary.  It  is  the  precious 
proclamation  of  pardon  through  Jesus  Christ  that  wins 
the  sinner's  heart,  that  brings  down  every  high  thought 
and  lofty  imagination,  and,  bringing  him  to  the  obedi- 
ence of  faith,  makes  him  bow  to  the  sceptre  of  the 
Prince  of  peace.  My  dear  reader,  God  so  loved  the 
world  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him  might  not  perisli  but  have  everlasting 
life.  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved. 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    SOUTH    CAROLINA    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


PrinUd  by  Eyans  k  Cogswoll,  No.  3  Broad  itreet,  Charleston,  S.C. 


Hollinger  Corp. 
pH8.5 


